Abnormally warm weather in Russia extends the autumn peak of tick activity until lasting frosts

Brief retelling from RIA II

Abnormally warm weather in Russia prolongs the autumn peak of tick activity until persistent frosts.

The main danger in autumn is the activity of microscopic nymphs and hard-to-see male ticks, with Borrelia infection in some regions reaching 35%.

Mite activity persists at temperatures from 8 to 18 degrees Celsius and stops only with stable frosts.

KALININGRAD, October 1 – RIA Novosti. Ticks in Russia this fall remain active longer than usual due to abnormally warm weather, Evgenia Kalinina, deputy director of the Institute of Natural Sciences of the Kant Baltic Federal University (IKBFU), told RIA Novosti.

“In Russia, the autumn peak of tick activity is prolonged by abnormally warm weather until persistent frosts, with the main danger being microscopic nymphs and hard-to-see males, and Borrelia infestation in some regions reaches 35%,” Kalinina said.

As the scientist explained, in the fall the tick population is replenished by nymphs - these are ticks at a young stage of development, as well as young adults - adult ticks that have just emerged from the pupa or suffered their last molt in the summer. Males look for a partner on a person or animal; they do not attach themselves for a long time, but can transmit infections.

“The nymph is 1-2 millimeters in size, smaller than a poppy seed, therefore it is almost indistinguishable on the body and remains on it longer, increasing the risk of transmission of infection. Males are 1.3–1.5 times smaller than females, almost black and also difficult to notice,” Kalinina said.

She noted that, for example, the European forest tick in the Kaliningrad region (Ixodes ricinus) remains active at temperatures from 8 to 18 degrees Celsius, and stops only with persistent frosts. Until stable temperatures reach five degrees or below at night, ticks continue to hunt.